Resolutions to Beat the High Cost of College Education

It's Getting Tougher & Tougher To Get A Great Financial Aid Package From Colleges These Days! Why Is This? To begin with, colleges and universities are receiving less money from Federal and State governments. There is also a trend towards less FREE money and more loans being given out to help fund a college education.
All of these things have led to students receiving less money than they should be entitled to under the financial aid formulas. Some schools, particularly the private universities, have more flexibility when it comes to negotiating for a better financial aid package, while others, like state colleges, have very little room to do anything. This means it is imperative for you to understand ALL of the payment options available to you just in case the college you are dying to go to comes up short when awarding you financial aid.

Resolution #1: Have Your Child Start Out At A State School And Then Transfer To A Private College.
If you gets accepted to both private universities and state schools, and he/she prefers to go to one of the private schools - the first thing you need to look at is how much is it really going to cost you to send him/her to that school. If the private university offers you an excellent package, which makes it approximately the same cost to you whether you send your child to private, or state - the answer seems pretty simple – attend the top choice.

If, however, the private university offers you a less-than-competitive package, and attending there will put you deep into debt, my recommendation is to think about attending a state school for two years, and then transfer over to a private university. You will probably end up saving yourself about $30,000, and will end up with a diploma from a private university. However, I must caution you: If you don’t plan to get top grades (A- or above) at the state school, they're going to have a tough time transferring over to a top private university.

Additionally, schools tend NOT to offer the best packages to transfer students. Keep these things in mind before you take advantage of this.

Resolution #2: Think About Sending Your Child To A College That Offers Cooperative Education.
About 900 colleges and universities across the country offer programs where students can alternate between full-time study, and a full-time job. This differs from work/study in that work/study jobs tend to be part-time jobs that students work at for a couple of hours a day until they've earned the amount of the award. On the other hand, cooperative education offers periods of full-time employment in jobs that the student is interested in pursuing after they graduate. The student usually makes enough money to pay for a good portion of tuition, and they have a much better chance of landing a good job after they graduate.

Resolution #3: Look Into Outside Funding To Help Pay For College.
True, private scholarships only make up only a percentage of all monies available for paying for college, but, you definitely won't get any of this money if you don't apply.

Resolution #4: Choose Colleges That Have Innovative Payment Plans. Don't only pay attention to the normal college search criteria like courses offered, academic and athletic reputation, geographic location, etc. Instead, make sure you inquire about special scholarships, installment plans, guaranteed cost plans, and tuition remission for good grades. Remember, if you don't ask – they won't tell!

Resolution #5: Always Apply To, At Least, Two Or Three Schools That Are Rated Equally. This way, if your child gets accepted to all of them, you may be able to play one against the other when negotiating to get a better financial aid package.

Resolution #6. Attend A Community College For The First Two Years Of School. If you work hard and gets good grades, they can usually transfer to a top private university. This way, they can get a diploma from a prestigious school for half the cost! I hope you saw that there is more than one way to skin a cat! Some old, some new!
Resolution #7. Check Out Your State's Financial Aid Programs. By contacting your state's higher education agency, you can find out what financial aid programs they can offer "in-state" students. Many states have grant and low-interest loan programs specifically to help students who plan to pursue careers in medicine or teaching. Check with your state agency to see what they have for your child!

Resolution #8: Complete Four Years Of College In Three Years. You will have to attend summer school, but you will save the 7 - 8% increase in tuition for the fourth year.
Resolution #9: Seek Alternative Funding for Your Education. Don’t allow anyone to tell you that there is no money available for education. There are thousands of dollars available. You just need to find it. Look to alternative sources, corporate or philanthropic organizations. If you need more information on how to accomplish this go to www.freecollegeeducation.com for details.